In the wave of latest studies linking social networking to narcissism, a psychology paper claims to have found a link between Facebook and the likes and socially disruptive narcissism.

Apparently, there is a direct link between the number of friends on Facebook and the extent of socially disruptive narcissism. The paper claims such persons tag themselves and update newsfeeds more often. It seems to confirm the fears that youth is becoming obsessed with self-image and shallow friendships.

The study group numbered 294 participants, aged from 18 to 65 and measured two elements of narcissism - grandiose exhibitionism (GE) and entitlement/exploitativeness (EE). GE includes 'self-absorption, vanity, superiority, and exhibitionistic tendencies whereas EE includes a sense of deserving respect and a willingness to manipulate and take advantage of others.

It just so turned out that the higher the subject scored on GE, the more friends he had on Facebook. Those scoring highly on both EE and GG were more likely to accept friend requests and seek social support, although they were less likely to provide it.

Chief executive of the Centre for Confidence and Well-being Carol Craig said that Facebook provided a platform for the disorder. She added that children are "focusing more and more on the importance of self esteem – on how you are seen in the eyes of others.

Facebook was shown to have some links self-esteem and narcissism in young adults, according to a study conducted by a top shrink at York University in Toronto. In a survey of 100 college students, young people with narcissistic personality traits were shown to exhibit Facebook activity that was distinctly more self-promotional.

According to the boffin in charge of the report Soraya Mehdizadeh, these people had "About Me" sections that referred to their intelligence and photos that were more about displaying the user's physical attractiveness than about capturing memories with friends. She defined narcissism as "a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration and an exaggerated sense of self-importance."

Facebook "offers a gateway for hundreds of shallow relationships and emotionally detached communication" and a great deal of control over how he or she is presented to and perceived by peers and other users. She thinks that narcissists would show more overall Facebook activity than average users and that their activity would be more self-promotional, either descriptively or superficially.

People who scored higher on the study's narcissism test also spent more time on Facebook and checked it more times each day than their less narcissistic counterparts. Blokes were more self-promotional in their "About Me" descriptions, using this section as an opportunity to highlight their intelligence and wit. Female users with tended to use images in their self-promotion, uploading content that "include revealing, flashy and adorned photos of their physical appearance."